Waterloo Brew comes to Slovenian Home

Alan Glazen's Operation Lightswitch will be opening a micro brewery in the Slovenian Home, coming this summer. The Collinwood Observer caught up with the very busy Alan Glazen to ask him a few questions about what will be happening.

CO: The first question that I think Collinwood Observer Readers will have is whether the Slovenian Home will still being offering their Friday night fish fries, their polka dances, and will they still host parties in that space.

AG: The home will continue doing everything and more than they’ve done for decades. We are learning the fishfry from them, donating our labor to be helpful. Polka dances, parties….nothing will change, but there will be more reason to go there.  

CO: You have said said: "Slovenian Workman's Home was not sold to us by the way. It is owned by hundreds of shareholders, whose works and mission we honor." Would you mind elaborating on that a little for the neighborhood?
 

AG: The Slo Home is owned by the many people who viewed it as the social center of their lives.Our company has leased the east side of the building, with the bar and bocce (balinca) courts. In the rear of that bar is a door that opens to the old bowling alley, which has been dismantled. This is where we will install our micro-brewery.  

CO: If you could bring us up to date on how the place will function, that will be great.  

AG: Starting when Operation Lightswitch kicks in (hopefully June-July, our part of the hall will be open regular business hours for the public to enjoy. We are presently talking to lots of people about upping the number of public events to be held in their amazing theater/auditorium. Look for a lot more entertainment!

CO: Two more questions:  One, how did you become interested in the Collinwood area to begin with? What about it made you know that it was a place worth investing in, and a place in which you would want to hang out?

AG: We have been fortunate to have prospered from investing in other Cleveland neighborhoods like Ohio City, Detroit Shoreway, University Circle and downtown, but we weren’t there first! We wanted to do our share and take the bigger risk by being among the first new players in this wonderful neighborhood. So far so good!     

CO: Two, I think when we first talked you mentioned some family roots in Collinwood, can you tell me about your personal Collinwood connection?  

My father was raised in Collinwood, which is icing on the cake!

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Volume 5, Issue 11, Posted 3:38 PM, 12.12.2013